If you have received an email from Stripe about needing more information about your account or needing to take certain actions on your account, you can find answers to common questions below.

Stripe identified charges on my account as unauthorized. What should I do?

If we got in touch with you about unauthorized charges and you think we have made a mistake, we will gladly look into this for you. We will have sent you a form that we need you to fill out in order for Stripe to revisit your account. Please fill out the verification form that was sent to you. Once you have completed the verification, we will revisit your account and follow up with you.

I recently received a request for my photo ID. Why does Stripe need this? What should I do next?

Stripe is legally required to complete what is called a KYC (Know Your Customer) Survey for every user that signs up, which includes completing identity verification for the person who chooses to be the owner, administrator, and representative of a Stripe account. These requirements are intended to promote transparency and prevent individuals from using complex company structures to hide terrorist financing, money laundering, tax evasion, and other financial crimes. Usually, we are able to verify our users' identities automatically, but once in a while we are unable to and have to reach out for more information.

If you have not yet done so, visit the Verifications section of your Dashboard to upload your photo ID in your dashboard.

Why has Stripe placed a reserve on my new account?

Reserves are utilized to keep processing volume available within your Stripe account to fund refunds or chargebacks. There are several possible reasons a reserve may be placed at onboarding. It could be that your business operates in an industry or with a business model that potentially creates additional credit risk, even if you are not yet receiving chargebacks. Some businesses may also collect payment far in advance, creating additional risk. Most reserves are temporary, however, and we are happy to revisit if you provide additional information by replying to the notification email you received.

You can also find more information regarding reserves in the following support article: Stripe reserving funds.

I just opened a new account but Stripe told me I cannot process payments yet.

We know how important it is to be able to accept transactions and payouts quickly in order for a business to continue running smoothly. Stripe is currently reviewing your submitted details so that we have a full understanding of your business. Unless we have requested more information, there is no action for you to take, and we will do our best to wrap our routine review up so you can get up and running.

I received an email from Stripe indicating I need a working website. I don’t have or need one for my business. What can I do?

We understand that not all business owners necessarily have or need a web presence. We are often able to work with users that do not have a website that addresses what they are accepting money for. For example, a social media profile with robust online presence can sometimes be used in lieu of a website. You can get in touch with us if you would like to use an alternative way to verify your business information.

Why does Stripe think my business is risky?

Unfortunately, Stripe is unable to work with some types of businesses. It could be because products you sell are against our Terms of Service, or potentially because your industry presents a higher than average risk of chargebacks.  

Stripe closed my business because of a Terms of Service violation. What if I remove the item Stripe had a problem with?

While we cannot promise that we are able to reverse a decision, you are welcome to check in with us for another review of your business by reaching out to Stripe Support.

What is a domain?

A domain is the name of a website. When you look at a web address, it is what comes after “www” – like www.stripe.com. If you own your own website domain, you should be able to verify ownership. Users may run into an issue where we need them to confirm their website domain, because they have created their account using an email that does not match the domain of their website. For instance, an email ending in ‘@gmail.com’ does not match the domain of www.stripe.com. In these cases, Stripe will reach out to you with steps so that you can confirm your domain.

Why does Stripe need me to confirm my domain?

Stripe needs to ensure the business website associated with any account belongs to the user, and that you maintain control over it. To confirm your ownership over your website’s domain, we will send you an email on your website’s domain with a link you will need to click on as well as a dashboard notification. You can get started by clicking here: https://dashboard.stripe.com/confirm_domain